


Price of a Soul

by RavenTyrs



Series: Soul Series [1]
Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Ensemble Cast, Episode: s1e18 Five by Five, Gen, Multi, Post-Season/Series 01 AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-02-24 15:16:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13216488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenTyrs/pseuds/RavenTyrs
Summary: Takes place in season 1 of Angel the, series.  Faith arrives in L.A. and takes a job with Wolfram and Hart, but gets a partner in crime.  The team must deal with the fallout of past failures in Sunnydale and if enemies can become allies.  Who gets to decide who is allowed a chance at redemption?





	1. Laying the Groundwork

**Author's Note:**

> Words: 3,062  
> Chapters: 1 of 13  
> Warnings: References to violence  
> This takes place in season 1 when Faith arrives. Everything from there on out is AU. No, Buffy will not be making an appearance. I rated it Teen and up because well, I fade to black in most things or just let you figure out the violence. There is violence but I don't get detailed. This was a one off that became a series, hope you enjoy!

Faith had fled Sunnydale for a myriad of reasons. The fact that Buffy would have happily beaten her nearly to death and handed her over to the Watcher’s Council to kill was only one of them.  She had finally woken up and found that the Mayor had a back up plan for her.  A body switch, and in Buffy’s body she was meant to get a fresh start. Leave the country and do whatever she wanted with her life. The problem had been, that the fresh start meant she could be whoever she wanted to be.  That the stigma of the ‘bad slayer’ was gone.  Her natural instincts took over and had her trying to help people that needed it. She started questioning herself. Life had always been rough, and following her instincts to keep alive and take what she wanted was about survival. She never got the chance to know anything else. She’d not had a supportive family, friends, a home. Not really. At first she had hoped to, thought she could fold herself into Buffy’s life and share it, but that hadn’t worked. 

They figured it out and then wanted her gone.  Her own body back, the Council ready to destroy her.  Then she was just pissed. It was unfair. Who decided Buffy was worthy and she wasn’t? Anger again took front stage and she only wanted to hide, fade into the city’s underbelly. Sunnydale was way too small for that, and they were looking for her.  So L.A. it was.  It was way too busy and way too big to find her easily.  Besides, there were always vamps to dust, a fight to have and some of the demons even had decent digs to take over for a bit . She was no stranger to squatting so the transient life style was fine. No one knew she was there, she kept a low profile. Or so she thought.

Until she got an unexpected visitor, really unexpected, a lawyer of all things. Seems they were a pretty big deal around the city, and probably farther than that.  See, they had run into Angel more than once, and now,  they had a job for her.  They wanted her to get Angel out of the way.  They had tried getting him on their side, making him go Angelus, and even threatening his team.  This time they wanted her help and the offer of an apartment, funds, and weapons rang familiar. It reminded her of the Mayor. Sure, she knew that what she felt with the Mayor, a real affection and a family connection wasn’t what she was being offered. But it was as close to real as she had a chance for right now. So she accepted. Why not? What else was she good for other than killing, causing problems. 

She thought it over, she knew that what they had done so far probably just made Angel and his ‘team’ closer.  Faith knew a bit of how things worked with Buffy and her crew.  They were tight and even if you were let in, you weren’t really part of the group.  What had to happen, was you had to break them.  Not just one, but all of them, and like dominoes they would fall.  Oh, she was going to really let loose this time. After all, she was evil, she was an anomaly, an evil slayer, a rogue. So why fight it? She’d never be worth anything else and a wise person knew their strengths and weaknesses and worked with them. Speaking of working with…

Faith gave the lawyers one major request. Someone she knew would be more than happy to help destroy Angel, and have fun doing it, that was if they didn’t mind the price. This Lindsey guy seemed really happy about the idea and said he’d get it set up. It was all she needed to hear. She wasn’t normally the type to work well with others, but if they were going to hit more than one target, another pair of hands, and fangs, would be useful. 

 Plans already starting to form in her head, she got busy.  First she started checking up on Angel, on his apartment and office, comings and goings.  All of that information.  Everything he did, where he went, and who he spent time with. ,She knew now that his ‘team’ was made up of Wesley, and Cordelia.  Which was perfect for her.  Cordelia was just annoying really, though Lindsey seemed awfully interested in her and some visions or something she had.  Wesley, oh that was personal.  He and Giles had thrown her away.  Giles, well he had to follow where Buffy lead, just like all her little friends.  Wesley was for her though.  He was supposed to take care of her, help her, and he failed.  Miserably.  

So one  night, she found them.  All three of them, out and about at some building.  Probably on a case, she didn’t really care.  Making herself known was all she was looking for.  Just a taste so they knew she was around, and she wasn’t looking to be a part of their team.  Not this time, this time, she had her own agenda.  Oh and it was too easy and too too much fun. From her vantage point she made sure passer bys were out of the way.  She wasn’t going to just kill willy nilly after all.  It was unnecessary, and lazy.  Always have a plan and make your shot count.  So she took her aim and shot the crossbow bolt to purposefully miss him.  Angel of course heard it and grabbed it before it could hit him.  Not that it would have been bad if she missed.  It was a side shot.  With a smile she stood up from her perch in full view of the three. Eyes searched for where the bold came from and he finally saw her, shock registered first.  Then his eyes narrowed.

  
_“Oh yeah, this is gonna be fun.”_  She said just loudly enough to know he heard her, then she turned and was gone.

 

*************

 

They were just talking.  The three of them, in public, in a large building, surrounded by people.  While they didn’t feel completely safe, they felt pretty secure.  After all, the most they would have to deal with in a place like this was a lawyer popping their heads up with some sort of pain in the ass paperwork to try and stop them.  That was until Angel quickly whipped to the side and grabbed something.  It took Cordelia a moment to figure it out, but then she saw that it was an arrow.  Someone was trying to kill him.  In broad daylight, sort of.  She glanced up to Angel but he was already looking around, so was Wesley so she too tried to find where the arrow was coming from.  Her eyes slowly widened.

  
_“Faith!”_

__“Faith!”_  
_

_  
_ Cordelia waved off Wesley’s look at their shared exclamation. Of course he was surprised, so was she, last they knew, the rogue slayer was safely in a coma.  Of course, right now there were more pressing matters.  Like how she was trying to kill Angel.  Again.  She turned to run after the slayer, assuming that was their next move but Angel stopped her and shook his head as he watched the retreating figure.  She stopped and this time the look she and Wesley exchanged was more than just worry.  Angel was way too calm about this.  Sure he wasn’t dead, good and all, but no one expected the slayer to show up and he didn’t seem as, well, worried about it.

  
_“Angel -”_  she started and he lifted his chin to interrupt her.

  
_“Let’s get back to the office.  She’s long gone, this was planned.”_ He replied and dropping her arm he shoved his hands into his duster and headed to the stairs so he could take the sewers back.  

  
Cordelia pursed her lips but Wesley was shrugging his shoulders so they headed out to the car to meet him back at the office.  By the time they made it back, he was already pacing the office.  It  wasn’t the largest office and Wesley was behind the desk in seconds grabbing some books.  What for she had no idea.  It wasn’t like a new demon, it was Faith!  Trapped back there as Angel paced she had enough.  It wasn’t frustration, it definitely wasn’t fear, it was thinking and honestly, the pacing was making her dizzy.  She stepped in his way, hands on her hips.  He stopped and raised a brow to her.  She simply cocked her head to the side and he sighed then sat  in his over-sized chair.  Satisfied she cleared her throat at Wesley who looked up from the book and then sat slowly and adjusted his glasses.

  
_“Yes, quite.  Perhaps we start from the beginning.  That, was indeed Faith.”_  He put out there.  It was obvious, they all knew it, but it was the first time any of them had spoken it.  Which made it that much more real.  Cordelia relaxed and folded her arms over her chest as they all turned eyes to Angel.  He did not look up at them, not yet, but he knew they were waiting on him to speak.

  
_“Yes, Faith. The slayer. I guess she’s awake now and doing well. She attacked me, but she didn’t mean to kill me. She had to have missed on purpose.”_   With that he finally looked at them both.  Letting that sink in.

  
Wesley nodded in agreement.  He might not have had as much of a hand in training her as he should have, was meant to, but he knew well enough that the slayer catching Angel unawares wouldn’t have just missed. There wasn’t even a flesh wound. Somehow, that made it more scary.  Why shoot at him, if not to kill him?  Why let them know it was her, that she was there, and capable of taking them out, yet not do it?  

Cordelia was already pulling at his coat to look him over.  The arrow had been close and Angel knew better than to argue so just raised his arm to show where the tip had pierced the coat and put her mind at ease.

  
_“Well, she only got the coat, so that’s something. Maybe that coma knocked her brain for a loop. Though it would be hard to tell with her.”_  She finished and then sat on the arm of his chair.  

She didn’t like this, not at all.  Her mind was already working and unfortunately  so was Angel’s.  He and Wes exchanged a look.  They both knew that if that was just a warning, another would come, and they may not be so lucky to escape completely unscathed.  Angel knew that it was going to cause an argument so he stood up and walked up to the door.  Turning to face them both as he made his proclamation.

  
_“I want you two to take some time off.”_

_  
_ Again, Wesley and Cordelia had the same reaction.  That alone might very well have been a sign of the apocalypse.  Still it was obvious that Wesley wasn’t expecting to be included in such a plan.

  
_“What?!”_  They exclaimed.  

Both were immediately on their feet, but Angel raised a hand to stop the stream of arguments that were about to erupt from his friends.

  
_“I’m serious. Faith is playing a game, she doesn’t just want me dead, or she’d have killed me, she’s dangerous. We know that, and that means she’s dangerous to you two.”_

_  
_ Wesley wanted to argue that it didn’t make her any less dangerous to the vampire and that there was strength in numbers, all of those trite axioms a watcher would use, but he didn’t get a chance to voice his opinion because Cordelia was already on it. She stepped forward and immediately began poking the unsuspecting vampire in his chest, actually making him take a step back.

  
_“Look here buddy! We are not going to just walk away. We’ve had this talk before, so you can go ahead and play big protector and push us away but I for one am going nowhere!  We are a team, we take care of this together or not at all!”_

_  
_ He blinked and looked to Wesley.  Wesley realized that in her own way, Cordelia had given him the speech he was planning to.  Much more simple and much more succinct.  So he just gave a crooked smile showing he didn’t want to argue with Cordelia either.  Angel glared down at Cordelia and put on a serious attempt to disagree, getting as far as opening his mouth.  Unfortunately she had raised a brow at him, practically daring him to continue a battle he was in no way going to win.  Finally he gave in and sighed.

  
_“All right fine, but we need to find her. Find out what she’s doing here. She could get violent.”_  He asserted, though Cordy just gave a patented _‘pfft’_ and roll of the eyes as if he was stating the obvious.  Which he was.

  
_“Okay fine so she’s violent. Doesn’t she usually save that kind of thing for Buffy and her gang?”_ she grumbled.  As she backed off she noted that Angel and Wes exchanged their own looks of obvious stupidity.   _“Oh… Except now she’s moved on to Angel and his gang. Which is us.”_

_  
_ Wesley nodded encouragingly and Cordy crossed her arms over her chest as if it didn’t matter, now that she finally figured it out.

  
_“Great, so we just find out where she is right? Stop her before she can come at any of us.  Which means, research. Again.”_

_  
_ With nods all around Cordy went to the computer and Wesley went to books and Angel went to the phone, to find out if anyone in Sunnydale knew what was going on.

 

*************

 

Faith was more than just a little pleased with herself.  She had known they wouldn’t be able to follow her, even if they tried.  Angel was stuck int he shadows and she was on another floor.  Easy enough to get out before they could even track her.  She went straight back to her new apartment, she had some arrangements to make.  As soon as she walked in she noticed it was dark and then there was a small flash of a burning cigarette and a puff of smoke.  A slow smile crossed her face and she closed the door behind her as a voice addressed her. 

  
_“Guess I got you t’ thank for the de chippin’, eh pet?”_

_  
_ She tossed off her jacket and set the crossbow aside.  With a flick of the switch, the shades opened again and the light came back, waiting for Spike’s reaction she went to the fridge for a beer.

  
_“Nifty thing, that glass huh?  Stopping the stuff that kills vamps, letting in the light.  You know, I just put the offer out there. I take it your game?”_

_  
_ He rose and followed her grabbing the offered beer with a slight raise of a brow, she was much more relaxed around him than even Buffy and her friends.  Even though they knew about the damn chip.  He took a long drag and flicked the butt towards the sink not caring if it hit or not. He flashed a smile that was more fang then anything and popped the top of the can.

  
_“Get the chip out so I can go back t’ my usual diet an’ get to give Peaches a little pay back? Not to mention the digs an’ pay. I’d say I owe ya one.”_ He finished with a small toast before sucking down half a can.  Truth was, he didn’t like owing anyone anything so he was hoping to hear differently.

  
Faith shrugged and hopped up on the counter as she drank her first swig.  Reaching into the cupboard behind her she grabbed some chips.   _“Hey, their footing the bill, just thought you’d want in on the fun. You know, with your experience and all.”_

_  
“Experience, luv?”_

_  
_ This is where her smile grew, she had thought maybe Lindsey would spoil her surprise but it seemed not.  More fun for her.  

  
_“See, we aren’t just killing Angel, we are breaking him.  He’s got friends, and you won’t believe who.  He works with Cordelia and Wesley my **ex** -watcher.  So I’m planning on hitting through them. A little torture, little breaking of the spirit, then dump Wes somewhere for him to find.”_

_  
“Got me interested, why only dumpin’ the watcher though?  Gonna kill the cheerleader?”_  He was fine with some torture, hell he’d learned from the best after all.  He knew how to make sure that Angel knew that everything done to them, was what he would do as Angelus.  Let that hit home.

  
This was the part Faith had been waiting for, so she remained very matter of fact, but kept an eye on his face.  _“Oh that’s the thing.  Lindsey wants to get his hands on Cordelia.  Seems she’s Angel’s link?  Basically, she now gets visions for him, to help him.”_

_  
_ His eyes darkened immediately.  Visions, like Dru had gotten, that Angelus had broken her for.  Destroyed her mind.  Yet now he had another one giving him visions and Spike was betting he protected this little human rather than take a chance on breaking her like he did his first one.  He took a slow drink of the beer and then crushed the can, tossing it to the counter.

  
_“Right, well then, I call dibs on th’ cheerleader, yeah?”_  His voice was definitely darker and Faith nodded.  That was what she was looking for.

_  
“Hey, our only rules are not to kill Cordelia, I think that leaves us plenty to work with.  How about you?  Besides, I have a plan.”_   She grinned hopping down from the counter and heading into the living room to pull out some papers she had put in the side table.

  
_“Not much for plans luv, like to have room to move.  If ya know what I mean.”_  

 Though he followed and sat down across form her to look over what she had. Impressive, he looked through and even pulled out a list before nodding and looking back up to her.  

“ _Well well, Angelus would be proud.”_

_  
_ They grinned at each other like idiots.


	2. Let the Games Begin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: 4,374  
> Chapters: 2 of 13

Angel had gone to the apartment below to make the call, which was taking quite awhile.  At least that’s what Cordelia thought as she was pouring over books that had absolutely no information on a rogue slayer.  She raised her head and winced, rubbing at a kink in her neck that was quickly developing.  Frowning at the book as though it did it on purpose, she sighed heavily and closed it loudly.  With a look around she saw that Wesley didn’t even notice.  She leaned with her chin in her hand and tried again, a louder, longer sigh.  Still nothing.

Just as she was about to clear her throat Angel stepped back into the office.  His steps were slow and his head was down.  She perked up and threw a pen at Wes to get his attention.

  
_“Angel?  Any news?”_  she asked carefully.

  
With no answer and not even a glance in their direction, Cordelia looked to Wes who tried again.  Clearing his throat he stood up from the desk.  _“We, haven’t found much yet, did you have better luck then?”_

  
Angel lifted his head and then sat down heavily in the large chair.  _“They know.  In Sunnydale.  Actually, it seems she woke up and went right for Buffy.”_

  
Wesley and Cordelia exchanged a look and both moved from their positions to stand near Angel.

  
_“She’s, all right isn’t she?”_   Cordelia asked.  She knew that in the end, everything they were doing, helping Angel with this path, was to lead him back to her.  
Angel finally seemed to snap out of whatever he had been thinking and nodded, running a hand over his face.  

  
_“The Mayor, had a plan for her.  Some device that allowed her to switch bodies with Buffy.  When the Council came for Faith and actually grabbed Buffy, in her body, she was able to convince them of the truth.  They destroyed the device but she did a lot of damage.”_

  
Cordelia winced, who knew what kind of damage she could do while people thought she was Buffy, and honestly she didn’t want to try an imagine it.  Wesley on the other hand was already sweating.

  
_“What, I mean, what did she do?  Is everyone, safe?”_

  
Angel leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs and gave a rather sad sort of chuckle, that was worrisome.  _“Yeah, I mean, she, she got caught rescuing some people in a church.  Before that she uh, slept with Buffy’s new boyfriend though.”_

  
Then they understood.  Cordelia sat on the edge of the arm of the chair and put a hand on Angel’s back.  

  
_“I’m sorry.  I, didn’t know she’d started dating.”_  For the first time, Cordelia was a little lost for words, though she had plenty for Buffy.

  
Angel sat up again and allowed Cordy lean her head into his.   _“She’s, moved on.  I had to talk her down from coming here to kill Faith.  She told me, she told me that she moved on, and that it’s new and good and better.  Because she can trust him.”_

_  
_ Cordelia’s eyes narrowed and she sat up, opening her mouth to let loose, but Wesley stopped her with a clear of this throat.

  
_“I, am sorry Angel, but Buffy is young.  She is living her life, which is what you both wanted.  At this point, I think we should put our energies elsewhere.  Like, finding Faith.”_ His voice was reassuring but with that slight tinge of authority meant to guide.  Cordelia could have overridden it with her own diatribe but the phone rang.  She glared at Wes almost demanding he answer so she could talk to Angel, but he simply stared her down and she stood up with a grumble.  With a growl of frustration Cordelia reached for the phone.

  
_"Angel Investigations we help the – "_ Her usual bright eyed and big smiling response fell into a look of confusion then a frown. Suddenly both men were interested. Angel stood and Wesley removed his glasses leaning forward. With a lick of her lips, Cordelia held the phone out for Angel.   _"It's, for you."_

_  
_ Angel looked at the two of them then reached for the phone.   _"Angel."_

_  
_ Wesley's questioning look was met with her shaking her head, still confused. Most of the conversation was simply Angel humming in assent or nodding. At least the part they heard. Finally he hung up and stared at the phone a moment.  Then he went for his coat, the two trailing behind him.

  
_"Well?"_  Cordelia asked anxiously.

  
Angel turned back to them as he looked through the weapons.   _"It was a tip. Wolfram and Hart hired Faith, and set her up in an apartment. I'm going to check it out."_  His voice had gone monotone.  Dark and determined. 

 Immediately Cordelia went to reach for the small crossbow in the weapons.   _"Not alone you're not!"_

_  
_ Angel grabbed her arm and stopped her.  His face softened a bit as he looked at her and at Wesley.   _"Yes I am. I'm taking the sewers, this is only a visual. No fighting, and I don't want you two getting hurt. Wes, keep an eye on her, I'll be back soon."_ He turned and left as Wesley stepped up by Cordelia, who was already crossing her arms over her chest unhappily.

  
_"He is just making sure we are safe."_

_  
"Says you! Wes he shouldn't be out there by himself and you know it.  Especially after that phone call."_

_  
_ He sighed and nodded. He knew she was right, that they should stick to working as a team, but he was hoping Angel was truly just checking out a tip and not dealing with the issue alone. In truth, he was worried about how dangerous Faith could be.

  
_"Well, I guess we're back to research."_  He stated with a small smile.  With an audible groan Cordelia lowered her arms and let her head fall back onto his chest.

  
_"Fine. You go get all those dusty books and I'm ordering lunch."_

*************

Faith had done quite a bit of legwork.  She knew the area, she knew Angel’s usual haunts, she also knew where he went for information and who squealed to him more often than not.  So getting the information to Angel was a piece of cake and he took it like a kid on a sugar binge.  They knew timing was everything and so waited just long enough for Angel to be too far gone to   run back for anything and for the other two to get comfortable.  They would be in the office and they could easily slip into the building to look for the right moment to pounce.

  
Meanwhile, Wesley had books set aside for Cordelia, he had found some old records of rogue slayers, and was hoping to find some information on how to deal with them.  Other than death that was.  There had been a few of course, and the Council typically dealt with them quickly. They had to. Not having an active slayer was bad enough. Having one that did more harm than good set them back. The only reason they hadn't been more intent on Faith was that they still had Buffy.  Of course, as Faith was activated after Buffy, killing Faith would just call another slayer.  Which complicated matters.  What he was finding wasn't good. There had been no attempts at rehabilitation in generations. The ones they had made had failed miserably. Hearing soft footfalls he didn't raise his head, he only raised a hand to gesture behind him.

  
_"Ah there you are, Cordelia would you hand me the Compendium behind you? Thank you."_

_  
_ He heard the book slide from the shelf but as he raised his head, he was blinded by it. His head snapping to the side and smacked into the desk, bouncing off of it. Stars burst behind his eyes and he blinked confused. There was no time to adjust as fingers dug into his scalp, pulled at hair and yanked his head back. Faith grinned down at him.  She had not seen Cordelia and so she and Spike had slipped in, going in separate directions as they stalked their prey.  Wesley asking for a book had made her shrug, after all, live by the book, die by the book, right?

  
_"Hey there Wes. Long time no see, how's that watcher thing working out for you?"_

_  
_ He opened his mouth to answer and she slammed his head down again.  This wasn’t really a discussion.  Not as far as she was concerned anyway.   _"It was rhetorical. You know what rhetorical means right? Like a watcher protecting his slayer? Rhetorical, means, not, doing, shit."_  Faith bit out.  

While the end goal may have been breaking Angel, right now she was concentrating on his team.  More importantly, Wesley and she had plenty of hard feelings of her own to work out.

  
Wesley groaned, he couldn't help it. He felt blood trickle over his left eye and his glasses had broken and laid on the desk in pieces. She leaned to his ear and he shivered.   _"Call in your friend. She's gonna want to see this."_  Faith smiled politely.

  
Wesley knew what she meant.  Cordelia, she was grabbing food and wasn’t in the office just yet.  So she was safe.  As long as he could keep Faith occupied anyway.  Shaking his head, hope flared that he could take care of this himself.  Worse case, he was going to end up mighty bruised, but he just had to keep her busy until Angel came back.   He realized Faith would have some unresolved hostility towards him, but it just truly hadn't occurred to him how much, or how dangerous it was.  Unfortunately, there was no way to warn Cordelia, to keep her away and within moments he heard her voice.

  
_"Hey Wes, I hope Chinese is okayyyyyyyy"_  Cordelia sang out as she rounded the corner to the office.  Walking in she froze, eyes had gone wide and quickly she dropped the food and looked for the nearest thing that could possibly be used as a weapon.  

Wes coughed and jerked his head from Faith’s hand, Faith immediately jerked his head back to stare at the ceiling, neck stretched back so hard he could barely breathe.   _"Cordelia, run! Now!"_ He managed to croak out and panicked when Faith loosened her grip and mimicked him.

  
_"Cordelia, run."_  She whined at her.  Letting go of Wes she stepped behind him, hands at his shoulders, digging in and leaned her face against his.  _“I dare ya.”_

_  
_ Wes winced, he wasn’t sure what was going on but he didn’t like it.  He hoped that she really was letting Cordelia go.  Perhaps as a message to Angel.  He stared at her and mouthed the words  _please_.  

Cordelia was torn.  Sure, she could run, no way she could take Faith, but that slayer bitch had Wesley!  She could maybe at least distract her right?  Grabbing a coffee mug she threw it at Faith’s face and ran for her, but Faith was faster.  Stepping aside she knocked Cordelia to the ground with a punch to the gut and then shook her head.  

  
_“Wow, I knew you weren’t bright but I didn’t think you were downright stupid.  One last chance, **run**.” _  She added in a hiss.

  
With a glance to Wes she pushed herself up to standing.  He was swaying in his chair, bleeding from the head.  Oh she’d run all right.  Right to the weapons.  She started backing up and Faith just smiled at her.  Probably should have been her first warning.  Still once close to the door she spun around to run for the weapons, only to run right into someone’s chest. Hands grabbed her upper arms and pinned her in place, she hoped it was Angel but she already knew it wasn’t.  Pulling back, she couldn’t budge, the hands were so strong.  Shaken slightly she glanced up, right into Spike’s face.

  
_"Well well, always did have a thing for cheerleaders. Gonna scream for me pet?"_ He purred at her.

  
Shivers ran over the back of her neck and she swallowed hard, she wasn’t going to scream for him, but it wasn’t from pride. Spike had turned her around and wrapped an arm around her chest, pinning her arms. A strangled sound came out and her head was yanked to the side. His face was in her neck and she closed her eyes just waiting for fang.  

Faith took a knee in front of Wesley and made a kind of  _‘tsk tsk’_ noise as she pushed the blood from his eyes and held his chin so he was looking at the scene behind her.  _"So here's the deal, Wes. As long as you don't scream, we'll leave her alone. You scream, you beg, then we'll leave you alone. And start on her. Got it?"_

_  
_ Wes tried to nod, his head was killing him. It felt three times larger than it should be. He looked over at Spike, he hadn't bitten her, not yet.  He had to find a way to get them to leave her alone.   _"Just, leave her here and I'll cooperate  It’s me you’re angry at Faith."_

_  
_ Spike licked along Cordelia’s neck, causing her to wince in disgust and try pulling away.  He had her head pinned in place and he stared at Wesley and Faith.  _"What and give up fresh blood? I hear those visions make the blood, **tasty**."_

_  
_ Cordelia felt the sharp intake of breath before she realized it was hers.  Eyes widened slightly and she looked at Wesley, truly afraid.  They knew about her visions, they were prepared, she didn’t see how either of them were getting out of this.  Her fears were realized when Faith shook her head and pulled Wesley’s chin down to look at her.

  
_"Oh no, you both get to come for the ride. But, wouldn't be very fair for us not to invite your boss right?"_   With that she got up and pulled out a knife.  Grabbing Wesley’s hand she pulled the blade along his palm and Cordelia squeaked.  Faith just rolled her eyes and Spike licked his lips.  Grabbing an empty mug from the desk she pulled Wesley’s hand over it and made it into a fist, letting the blood fill the bottom of the cup. 

 Dropping his hand she turned on Spike and Faith, pointing the blade towards Cordelia.  Spike shook his head.  _“Sorry luv, not wastin’ a drop o’ this.  Will knock her out for ya though.”_

_  
_ With that he bounced her head off the door frame and picked up her limp body.  Faith looked at Wes and with no warning, backhanded him and he went limp.

*************

Angel had decided to sneak through the sewers to the apartment building.  Hoping to catch Faith off guard, she was dangerous, most slayers were.  The difference was he knew the last time that he’d seen her, she had been mentally unstable as well.  Which was an even more dangerous situation.  He wanted to believe there was hope for her, had tried before to help her.  The thing was, Angel knew that you couldn’t help those that didn’t want your help.  You couldn’t save everyone, as much as you might try.

  
He came up the back of the apartments and took to the fire escape, still in the shadows of the building.  He knew it was on the fourth floor and he wasn’t taking any chances that she had the halls and stairs ready for him.  As he got up to the right floor he found a window cracked open and went to check it out.  It overlooked the hallway, and not an apartment, so carefully he pulled the sash open farther and slipped in.  The first thing he noticed was that it was quiet.  Too quiet, as if no one had lived in the building for a long while.  It was the kind of silence that was stale, letting you now it hadn’t been disturbed.  The layer of dust didn’t do much more to make him feel good about the situation.

  
Pinpricks ran up the back of his neck, it screamed trap and he knew he couldn’t turn back now.  He needed answers, he needed to get to Faith before she went too far.  4G, that was the apartment he was told about and it was at the end of the hall.  He slowly made his way down to the door and halfway down the hall noticed a note on the door.  Every muscle in his body tensed up as he told himself it wasn’t for him.  It wasn’t part of a trap.  As he got up there his eyes scanned the message and he yanked the paper from the door.  The handwriting was too familiar and made the whole situation even more dangerous.

  
_Guess who joined the party? Just like old times, mate. Too bad you're neutered, we could have had a lot of fun. No worries though, your friends will keep the slayer and me company till you're ready to join in.  
P.S. Never did tell me, what's it like breaking a seer?_

_  
_ He crumpled up the note and ran, diving through the window at the end of the hall and jumping down the four flights to the ground. Hitting hard he rolled with the impact. He had to get back to the office. It had definitely been a trap, it just hadn’t been for him.  

The sewers would be fastest, so he ran through, water splashing around his ankles as he took the now familiar route back to his apartment in the basement of the building.  Rushing into his own living quarters he didn’t bother with the elevator but took the stairs two at a time to the office.  He knew withing feet of the door that he was too late.  The smell of blood struck him hard, like a slap to the face.

  
_"Cor! Wes!"_   He called out, in hopes that one of them were there, that both were still alive.  All that greeted him was a deafening silence.  His call echoed off the walls as if mocking him.  He had been so intent on the trap being for him, that Faith was there for him, that he had truly hoped that by keeping the other two away, they would be safe.  Especially if he left them at the office.  The office was safe, it was his home, it was their sanctuary, now it had been violated in the worst way. 

The familiar smell of Cordy’s perfume and Wesley’s books was all but obliterated by the smell of fear and blood.  As soon as he stepped into the office he was looking everywhere, trying to picture what had been done to them.  There was broken glass, Wesley’s glasses lay mangled on his desk, books were scattered and blood dripped from the chair onto the floor.  He saw the stain of it on his mug and without realizing it, he was reaching for it.  The smell of human blood was so much stronger than the stuff he usually drank and when he  noticed he was staring at it, his hand shook in anger.  This was their blood, he knew it.  Cordelia’s or Wesley’s, or worse both.  

He threw the mug to the wall and watched it break into a million pieces, blood splattering across the wall.  There wasn’t enough blood for them to be dead.  So they were taken alive, or better yet had somehow escaped.  That brief flare of hope was dashed when he saw the knife stuck into his desk, pinning another note.  This one again in Spike’s handwriting, though Faith had left her own mark as well.

  
_I am disappointed. You're making this too easy, Angelus. Don’t worry, they are alive. They will be alive for days, don't forget, I learned from the best_.

  
At the bottom, scrawled in the blood of his friends was the message:  
**TAG YOUR IT.**

*****************

Wesley woke with a groan and tried to shift, but a cool hand to his head stopped him. He was laying on the floor, that much he knew. Giving his head a moment to stop spinning, he opened his eyes and realized they were in a windowless room, there were chairs to the side but he was on the floor, head in Cordelia's lap as she stroked at his hair.  He reached up to stop her hand and looked over her face, eyes drifting to her neck and relief flooding him that he saw no marks.

  
_"Hey."_  He tried to sound normal but it came out more strangled than he’d like.  Still he offered a small smile as well.

  
_"Hey."_   Cordelia replied, her own face pinched in pain, and tightness around her eyes had him frowning as he moved to sit up.  She tried to stop him but he held her hand and turned to sit and face her.  

  
_"Cordelia, what is it?"_  His voice held an equal amount of worry and fear.  When she simply shook her head and glanced to the door he turned to look as well.  Obviously they were locked in but that wasn’t her only worry.  No this was more.  Before he could press, she swallowed and looked at him.  Reaching with her other hand to his forehead where blood had dried.

_  
"How are you feeling? She, she hit you a lot. In the head."_

_  
_ A slight wince at the reminder and he groaned. She reached for him to steady him and he sighed, giving her hand a squeeze of reassurance.  _"I'll be fine. You look, hurt. Did they . . . "_

_  
_ She shook her head to reassure him and her eyes lit for a moment in anger.   _"Oh no, I heard them, they'll leave me alone as long as they get to beat on you. Which, I have to tell you was the stupidest thing you've ever agreed to."_   

A touch of fire threaded her voice and it gave him a small smile to know she was well enough to still yell at him.  Her shoulders slumped a bit and she sighed, squeezing his hand back.   _"But thanks."_

Wesley smiled back but heard the door open and jumped, moving to block her from it if he could.  Spike came in and tossed a bottle of pain killers and a bottle of water at Cordelia’s feet.  With a smirk he lit a cigarette,  _"That's one innocent not getting' saved huh? An' the watcher's awake. Time to play."_

_  
_ With that he turned and left, closing the door again, Wesley could hear the bolt slide into place locking them in. Cordelia had reached for the bottle like it was a life line and quickly doled out several pills. Wesley looked confused, she had said they hadn’t hurt her but she was nearly desperate for the pills.  That’s when he realized, he turned to her quickly, shock and worry threading his voice. 

_"Cordelia?"_

_  
_ She finished swallowing the pills and handed him the water, making sure she only took what she needed.  She knew what he was asking, but she would rather not talk about it and hoped to distract him.   _"Here, drink the rest. I don't like whatever they've got planned for you.”_

_  
_ Off of his look she sighed, _“ I,  I had a vision. While you were out cold. I told them I only have visions of innocents in trouble, for Angel to rescue and they left it alone.  They seemed almost, excited about it."_

_  
_ Wes knew it was more serious than that, her eyes refused to meet his. Brushing her hair from her face he looked at her.  This wasn’t the pain he was used to seeing after a vision hit, this wasn’t just worry, or even anger that they wouldn’t be able save the person.  Whatever it was she wasn’t saying, it pulled like a thread of pure fear through his stomach.  There was one possibility and it seemed the most obvious.  _"Cordelia? No, tell me. Was it, this? Us?"_

_  
_ She shook her head and swallowed.  She couldn’t, it was just too much.  _"No, not, not exactly. I mean, sort of. I saw, Lindsey."_  She eek-ed out hoping it was enough.

  
_"Makes sense that Wolfram and Hart have a hand in this."_  Wesley grumbled. 

These days there was very little that they weren’t doing to try and cause problems for them.  Of course, death, torture, seemed a bit much for their usual tactics.  The fact that they were stepping it up was not a good sign.  Still, he saw there was more and just waited. She started sniffling, shoulders shaking and he wrapped an arm around her.  If she had to see, and worse feel, his torture and death before it happened he would kill Lindsey himself for putting her through it.  That, was a kind of torture  no one deserved.

  
_"He killed me. I'm going to die Wes, and there's no one there. I die alone."_ She barely breathed it and he went still.  His arms tightened around her.  He wasn’t there?  She hadn’t seen him, or Spike or Faith.  Just Lindsey, and just her, and her death.  This was no longer about vengeance of a slayer.  

  
_“You’re, you’re sure.  I wasn’t, there or Spike or anyone?  It was, Lindsey?”_

_  
_ Pulling away slightly she wiped at her face, ashamed of having broken down in the first place.  With a nod she took a breath and steadied herself.  _“I’m sure.  You were safe, I don’t know how I know but I do.  You were safe and somehow, I wasn’t here, it was someplace else.  A lab or something.”_

_  
_ She was so matter of fact about it now that she seemed almost resigned and he refused to give up.  Grabbing her shoulders he dipped his head to see her face.  Determination fixed his face. 

_"It won't happen. You know Angel won't let that happen. Neither will I."_

_  
_ She raised her head and her eyes held a sadness and resignation that chilled him to the bone.   _“I don’t think, you have a choice.”_

_  
_ He opened his mouth to reply but they didn't get a chance to discuss it anymore as the door opened and Spike walked in with a duffel bag and Faith followed, dragging a chair.  She rubbed her hands together and smiled.  

_"Time's up."_


	3. It's All Torture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Words: 2,480  
> Chapters: 3 of 13

Cordelia had long ago lost any voice. She'd screamed, she'd thrashed, and she'd cried. The entire time. It hadn't distracted Faith in the least and she was a fast learner. Spike had stood back, letting her work, giving pointers and explaining that of the five ways to torture, which to switch to. She had tried, begged Wes to say something, anything. To scream, to make noise. She could take the pain herself, she thought, better than watching him go through this. His face red and jaw so tight she was surprised he hadn't broken anything, he simply stared at her, shaking his head when he could. He was stubborn and she couldn't take it anymore. She tried lowering her face, burying it in her hands, closing her eyes. The sounds were bad enough. Faith's voice simply explaining each. Sharp. Blunt. Hot. Cold. She never heard what the fifth was and was too upset to care. Spike had started stroking her hair and she shrugged him off. Instead he'd stepped behind her and held her arms to her side and grabbed her face to look up. Whispering about how she should watch, just in case he gave in and she was next. Finally Faith had decided, it had been enough.

_"That's good luv. Excellent first go. You're a natural."_ Spike purred easily as he leaned back against the wall. 

Faith grinned and shoved the last of the tools in the duffle bag. _"Hey, I know my strengths."_

Spike kissed Cordelia's cheek and escorted Faith out, a small wave before the door closed and Cordelia ran to Wes, dropping to her knees in front of him. Hands shaking she was unsure about touching him. 

_"Wes? Wes!"_

He stared, beyond her, eyes unseeing. Finally he let out a huff of breathe, a kind of dragged out groan and she started crying again. She looked around and grabbed the bottle of water. Pulled off her over shirt, wearing just the tank under it, and wet it a little and tried to clean his face. He winced and she stopped. 

_"I'm sorry."_ she stumbled out, hands still shaking 

_"It's, not you. It's fine."_ he gritted out, the first sounds she had heard from him in what had to be hours. She shook her head, tears freely falling. 

_"It's not fine! How can you say this is fine?_

He couldn't move, still strapped down but he tried then winced as he stopped and looked at her. His eyes were cloudy, but clearing and one nearly completely closed already. His voice came out stronger, determined. 

_"Cordelia. Cordelia look at me."_

Reluctantly she raised her eyes and held the bottle still in her hand. Her voice rough from crying and coming out barely a whisper. _"It's not okay Wes. We aren't going to be okay."_

He sighed, his eyes lowering from hers. _"I know."_

She wiped more of his face, and then put the bottle to his lips. 

***************************************** 

Angel had gone back to the apartment, looked around. He tried finding people in the area and asking questions. He felt like he was a wild goose chase. There were clues, he knew there were. Spike wanted him to find them, and Faith, wanted him dead. Eventually. For now though, he had to find them and he was at a dead end. Until it occurred to him, Spike had to have come from somewhere and the last place he knew about, was Sunnydale. He came for a reason and it wasn't just to come at Angel again. He was reluctant, to contact anyone from Sunnydale, it was too hard. This however, was an emergency. 

He'd called Giles, hoping to again keep as much separation as possible. He and Buffy both needed the time, the space. To have their own lives. He was surprised to hear about Spike and the chip, but it was all he needed to hear. For Spike to come here and do all this, he had to have been without the chip. He might just be watching, guiding Faith, but Angel doubted it. They said that Spike actually helped for awhile, with killing vampires and demons since those he could hit. He knew Spike too well. He could now hurt people and that was why he was here. So how did he get rid of the chip? 

Wolfram and Hart. It was his next stop. It was getting disconcerting how often they expected him there. Sent him on his way to Lindsey's office. Lindsey sat back in his chair and smiled in greeting. _"Angel. Good to see you. How can I help you?"_

_"Save it. I know you brought in Spike, and Faith."_ he growled out. Remaining calm was becoming harder and harder for him. 

Lindsey simply tilted his head, _"Our hiring practices aren't really any of your concern are they?"_

Angel slammed his hands down on Lindsey's desk and leaned forward, face changing. Even if it was just for show, his beast was rising and a little threat was almost always necessary when dealing with lawyers. _"Where. Are they?"_

Lindsey simply smiled. He didn't even flinch at Angel's face change. This was exactly what they wanted and he knew if the slayer was doing her job, then they would have Angelus soon enough. Regardless of the casualties. _"I'm sorry, I'm not typically checking on my employees every moment. I mean, they do have lives of their own. I'm sure you don't know where your employees are every minute. Do you?"_

It was the way he said it. It left no doubt in Angel's mind, Lindsey was behind this. The small lilt in his voice on that last question. He was baiting Angel, and Angel knew it. He wasn't going to get any information from him though. Not before he called security. Still, Lindsey had given himself away and that was something he could use. With a growl he turned to leave, tossing his threats over his shoulder. _"If anything happens to them, I'll kill you myself. And it will make Spike's work look amateur."_

He left slamming the door behind him. Unbeknownst to Lindsey, he stayed close enough to hear the phone call Lindsey made after he left. 

****************************************** 

Cordelia wasn't done cleaning him up, but she never would be. She had hoped she soothed him a bit, gave him some rest, but it wasn't long because the door opened again and their captors stood there. She flinched, hand over Wes' on the chair. He shifted fingers to clasp hers and she looked at him. She wouldn't beg, because he wouldn't give in. 

_to break up the love fest, but that's my man you're playing with."_ Faith smiled sweetly. 

Spike strode in and grabbed Cordelia's arm pulling her back as Faith grabbed the back of Wesley's chair and dragged him back out of the room. The door closed and Cordelia's eyes went wide. They were being separated. That couldn't be good. 

*********************************************** 

Wes groaned and winced at every bump as she dragged him into the main room. It was an apartment, the windows seemed to be blacked out and the place was well lived in. Old pizza boxes and beer bottles, a television and an x-box of all things. When the chair snapped down to all four feet he groaned but looked up. _"Where is Cordelia?"_

Faith put her hands on her knees as she leaned down in front of him, a fake pout on her face. _"Aww, don't want to spend some quality time with me? And here I thought you couldn't wait. Used to demand that I give you some one on one time."_

Standing up again, Faith just smiled and went to prepare her tools, barely cleaned from the last time. Wes refused to be afraid, in all honesty, he was too tired, too sore. The pain had become almost constant. A dull throb that was only interrupted by a sharp twist or pain that caught him by surprise when he moved the wrong way. Or at all. 

_"You made me a promise, or was I a fool to believe you?"_ He winced at the hit to the back of the head. 

The hit had been automatic, it wasn't part of the torture, it was all emotion. After all she had been put through by these so called watchers, how dare they question her integrity. _"Hey! I live up to my promises thank you! She's fine. What still got the hots for her?"_

He said nothing and so she began to work. Sweat broke out all over his body, he breathed harshly through his nose but he refused to make a sound. Finally the silence was enough that she began talking. Her voice going from harsh to hurt in a slow descend of emotion that he hadn't been expecting. 

_"You know why I chose you Wes? I mean, I could have just gone for Angel. Gotten it over with. But the chance to get to you was just too much. See, I think you're a pervert. All of you damn Watchers. I figure I ought to know. I've had what, four of you? And only one worth a damn."_ She grit out as she worked. 

At first Wes tried drowning out her words but as the first tinge of emotion, something other than anger slipping through, he found he was focusing on her words. On the underlying pain and his hand in it. 

_"You do what exactly? Watch teenage girls? You sure don't give a damn about them. All you care about is that they work. None of you even bothered to see if I had family, if I'd finished school. And as soon as I make any mistake. Any. Little. Mistake. You want to sell me out! Move onto the next little girl and see if you can make her obey. It's sick! It's twisted!"_

The blows were less fluid, more pain filled, for both of them. His eyes were squeezed shut and he groaned in pain but she didn't notice anymore. Neither of them noticed as the glass from the window broke. It wasn't until he spoke that their heads came up to see Angel standing there in the moonlight. 

_"It's over Faith."_ Angel's own voice was calmer than he expected it to be. He had heard just enough. 

********************************************** 

Cordelia had watched them leave, had gone to follow but was stopped by his arm. Spike was enjoying this way too much. _"Where you goin', pet?"_

She tried yanking her arm away but his fingers were like a vise and all she did was cause them to dig in farther. The door had closed and she already knew that they were both in trouble, and there was a good chance she wouldn't see Wes again. So she tried for her best haughty voice and glared at him. _"I thought you guys liked making me watch?"_

Spike grinned slowly and ran his tongue along the tips of his teeth as he leaned in closer. Sniffing at her hair he laughed when she pulled her head away and made a face. _"Your boy is getting' some one on one time. An' me, I got a thing for dark haired witchy women."_ He raised a hand to her hair and she snapped, slapping at his hand. 

_"Hey! Hands off freak!"_ she snapped off. Her face betraying the look of small surprise as she realized what she had done. 

Spike snarled, face shifting and pinned her against the wall. His hands digging into her arms as he pressed her back. _"Vampire, not freak. You know, just like your boss. Just like Peaches. You really think this isn't what he's like? I have news for you, princess, he was the worst of the worst."_

Cordelia wasn't about to be intimidated, even if she was scared out of her mind. Rolling her eyes she leaned back into the wall. So this was the problem. Spike was still mad at Angel having a soul. At him getting to be the vampire all vampires looked up to, either as evil or as good. _"Pssht. Really? You're going to try and scare me with Angelus? Sorry, been there, done that."_

_"Oh yes, an' you all have it figured out don' you? Jus' like the little slayer. Soul good, no soul bad. Think it's that simple pet?"_ He leaned in and sniffed at her neck. She winced but didn't hit at him this time, swallowing hard. He smiled against her pulse, he could hear it speed up, her breathing get deeper, harder. 

_"No, it's not that simple."_ she stuttered out a bit. Not sure why, but her words started falling out, honest and true. It was what she believed and she hadn't even told Angel. _"Honestly it doesn't matter. People have souls and they can be just as evil, sometimes worse. It's his choices, not his soul. He's a manpire. He's not just some stupid vampire all out for blood. He's a man too. He makes the kinds of decisions on how to behave and who to help and who to trust, like a man. Oh, and just because little miss likes to fight can only think with her hormones doesn't mean the rest of us are that naïve."_

Spike growled, and had to force his face back to human as he pulled back. Slamming a hand next to her head to keep her pinned there. He looked her over then grabbed her chin, then snorted. He was tired of all this faith put in a vampire that had more than proven he wasn't worth it. Not in Spike's eyes anyway. That's when he saw it, and his brow furrowed. 

_"What?"_ she asked, worried about the way he was looking at her. No longer like a play thing or food, but with, actual interest. Which scared her even more. 

With dawning realization his face smoothed out as he exclaimed, _"You're in love with the poof! What IS it with him?"_ Spike growled and pushed off the wall, turning to address the room as he paced. 

Cordelia laughed and relaxed a bit now that he had given her some space. Her arms crossing over her chest. _"In love? You have got to be kidding. This is Angel. You know, of the epic Buffy/Angel saga? He's going to brood over her and their bad soap opera romance till he dies."_

Spike stopped and turned to her, flicking his duster behind him so he could shove hands into his pockets. _"So what, you're jus' helpin' a vamp out? Not buyin' it, cheerleader."_

Cordelia simply made a face and shrugged. Her eyes lowering slightly so she didn't have to look him in the eye. _"If you must know, he saved my life and, I stayed. At first it was just too help out, but then I saw it. He's better off without her, the slayer. He's a real person now. Well, almost anyway. "_

Spike snorted. _"He's a vampire, luv. Jus' like me."_

Her eyes finally came up and she put on her best Queen C smirk. _"No, he's not. He's a manpire. You, you're just a vampire. No man in there."_ Her smirk slipped off as quickly as it came when she was suddenly pressed into the wall. His body totally covering hers as he smiled and almost purred against her. 

_"More man than you think, pet. Could prove it too."_

Her voice shook a bit but she raised a hand to his chest and pushed lightly. _"That, that just proves you're not. Any boy can be all 'ooh look at me I can be a rapist!' A man makes a choice. To help people, to take responsibility for his choices. Not just drains his mistakes dry and moves on."_

For some reason Spike was getting more and more frustrated. Sure, he had a best inside him, same as any vampire, but he had been capable of love and empathy and decisions and responsibility long before Angel. Drusilla proved that didn't she? Angelus never really cared for her, or for anyone really. _"Hey! Made some choices, think I was takin' a vacation in Sunnyhell? Did my fair share of demon slayin'."_

Cordelia just tilted her head, calling him out on his behavior would possibly get her killed. Or it might buy them all some time. _"And now you're kidnapping and torturing. Way to man up."_

He pulled back, his fist already forming and a growl vibrating through his lips. Cordy winced, hands up afraid she had definitely gone too far when his fist hit the wall next to her. Just as she raised eyes to look at him, her face smoothed out and her mouth formed a small 'O' of surprise as she realized he wasn't just angry, but frustrated, there was a pain in his eyes. Before he could pull back or she could say something, they heard breakin glass 

**************************************************** 

By the time Spike left the room, leaving Cordelia locked inside, Faith and Angel were in a full out fight. He paused, for only a second, Cordelia's words echoing in his head. He snarled and put on his game face, pushing them away and joined in the fight. Both knew Angel's moves pretty well, but the flurry of blows left them pretty even. Punches, side sweeps, round house kicks. Blows were taken and dished out as only slayers and vampires can. All three had emotions riding them hard, and Angel was at a slight disadvantage as his were wavering after hearing Faith's pain filled rant. 

While they were fighting the door burst in and men in suits followed in a couple of men with guns. Faith kept fighting, her face red and she was desperate as she fought. Angel couldn't stop at least defending himself as Lindsey walked in and gestured. Guns were trained on the three fighting as the men moved into the locked room. A scuffle and a shot were heard which had Spike and Angel both stopping. Faith yelled and hit at Angel again. 

_"Fight damn it!"_ Her pain was overwhelming and she barely noticed they had company. Angel did, so did Spike as Lindsey stepped in and gave them a smile and small nod before leaving, followed by a man carrying Cordelia over his shoulder. 

_"Oi! That's my seer!"_ Spike wasn't sure yet about what she had said but he knew he was not done with her and he rushed out after Lindsey. Angel growled and went to follow, but Faith tripped him and once on the floor she flurried kicks on him. Finally he rolled over and took her down. Pinning her arms. 

_"I don't want to kill you."_ he growled. 

_"Yeah? Well I want to kill you!"_ she spit and head butted him ready to start fighting again when a small voice stopped them both. 

_"You don't Faith. You know you don't. If, you want to kill me than go ahead. I admit I failed you. But Cordelia, Angel, they did nothing."_ Wes sounded defeated. Not by the pain, not by the torture, but by her words. He had realized, he had failed her as a watcher. They all had. Perhaps Giles was right in that they weren't going about this the right way. Perhaps he hadn't thought far enough ahead with other slayers. Angel looked over at Wesley, his head still hung down and bleeding. He could smell the blood, fresh and old. Confused he looked at Faith, too late. She scissor kicked up to knock him off of her. By the time he got to his feet she was out the window and down the fire escape.


	4. Running Out of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Words: 3,768  
> Chapters: 4 of 13

Angel had wanted to go after her, find out where they took Cordelia but he could hear Wesley breathing, or, not breathing. He would stop, wheeze, he was in a bad way and needed to be looked at immediately. So to the hospital they went. Angel apologizing for every moan or groan every wince at the jarring race. Luckily they took him back immediately. It just left Angel pacing the waiting room, answering questions he really couldn't find words for. He finally got the update, he'd survive, physically. No permanent damage done but so many burns, wounds, he'd have scars for sure and needed rest. They had sedated him before Angel could see him and he was told to come back, later. He didn't ignore the looks, he couldn't. They looked at him as if he somehow might be to blame for Wesley's condition, and they were right. So he left.

He headed back to the office, in hopes to simply change out of the bloodstained shirt and weapon up before going to Wolfram and Hart to find Cordelia. He wanted to have them both back and to make sure Lindsey never tried anything like this again. He hadn't expected to run into Faith again. There in the alley outside his apartment entrance, in the rain. He hadn't expected her to fight him. It wasn't the way you killed someone, it wasn't an attack to finally finish what she claimed to have started. No, this was, a purging. He recognized it as such and didn't' give in to fighting back. Only defending and keeping his voice calm, until finally, she'd tired, and he reached her. The realization of what she wanted. Not his death, but her own. He spent the rest of the night, in the apartment with her. Talking. Helping. He hoped. Just before she fell asleep, physically and emotionally exhausted, he asked about Cordelia. All Faith knew, was that they wouldn't have brought her to the office. Lindsey mentioned getting to Angel, to break him, and his connection to the powers, so he had no idea where she was, and right now, couldn't leave to find her. Not yet. 

********************************* 

Spike had just barely made it into the car with Lindsey. Cordelia tossed in another with the armed men. It was a quiet ride at first until Spike finally sat back and stared at him. _"So, where we headed to, mate?"_

_"You, can go where you'd like. As long as Faith finished the job you two were hired to do."_ Lindsey stated simply. 

_"And th' cheerleader?"_ Spike asked, thrusting a thumb back towards the other car. 

Lindsey smiled and adjusted his suit. _"Why, I didn't know you cared."_

Spike shifted uncomfortably. _"Didn' say I did. Maybe I jus' wasn' done playin' with her. Said we could take our time an' all."_ he reminded the lawyer. 

Lindsey laughed lightly and finally turned to look at Spike. _"It's okay, I know all about your penchant for the dark haired ones. Just like Angel's blonde preference. Unfortunately, we don't have time to play. The girl also has a connection to the Powers. We plan on taking full advantage of that."_

_"Thought it was Angelus you lot was after."_

_"Oh it is."_ Lindsey admitted, and then leaned a bit closer lowering his voice as if somehow Spike were a part of his plan. _"See, if Angel somehow comes out of this alive, as he has a habit of doing, then we can cut him off from his link. Without the girl, he has no connection to the Powers, no visions, no helpless, hopeless to save. Not that he'd let that happen of course. Saving his link as well as what he perceives as an innocent is just another way of controlling him."_

Spike stayed silent until they arrived. He slipped out as if interested and followed them towards the building, once he saw Cordelia he growled and attacked the guard trying to grab her and run. Unfortunately he didn't get far. As soon as he knocked a guard out, Spike was on the ground in pain. It was like lightening through his brain and he moaned, hands on his head. Arms grabbed him and he was dragged somewhere. By the time the pain stopped he was on the floor of a cell. Looking up at Lindsey and breathing hard, though he didn't need to it was all pain induced. 

_"Did you really think we were going to just let you loose without some sort of control? You have a bad habit of switching sides, Spike."_ Lindsey held up a remote. 

_"You wanker! Said you took the chip out!"_

_"And we lied."_ Lindsey shrugged. _"We do that. Oh, and no biting. You do, and you will drown in pain before you taste a drop."_ With that he left and closed the door. Spike got up and growled rushing the door and trying to get it open but it was steel, opening from outside. Looking behind him he realized what Lindsey meant. Cordelia had been tossed on a small bed inside the cell. 

_"Stupid chit. Wouldn' be stuck here if it weren't for you."_ He knew he sounded like he was pouting. He just didn't care. He was pissed, and promised he'd rip that lawyers throat out. 

Lindsey nodded to the guards outside and one stopped him. _"Excuse me sir, is it a good idea to leave the vampire unchained around, well, food?"_

Lindsey glanced back at the cell. _"I have a feeling about this guy. He seemed a little too interested. Not to mention he has a long history with a seer that Angelus turned. We can use that. Just keep an eye on them."_

************************************************* 

Wesley woke with a jerk, trying to remember where he was. Finally he did and let his eyes drift again as he relaxed on the bed. He was still in pain but he had to admit it was much less. The light was barely reaching the window and so he didn't expect to see Angel. He prayed Angel and Cordelia were both safe. 

_"Lookin' pretty bad there watcher. Sorry, ex watcher. Kind of what we wanted to talk to you about actually."_ A gruff voice that seemed too near had Wesley's heart speeding up again. His eyes snapped open and he turned his head to the voice. Four men stood there and it took no time at all for him to recognize them. 

_"Rogue squad."_ he nearly spat out. 

The leader, the speaker, grinned. _"Nice t' see you as well. Y'know. You watchers keep making this mistakes and here we are cleaning it up for you. But see, this time, there's no second chances. We got you an offer. Council is willing to bring you back on. Help us find this one. We'll bring her in and not only do you get your job back, but you get the new slayer when she's called."_

Wes knew that as easy as he was making it sound, it was anything but. He was asking Wesley to help sentence Faith to death. Before he might have believed she deserved it. Part of him still did, but her words had sunk in and he couldn't help to wonder, was she really irredeemable? Or was it all due to watchers and their treatment of her? He realized he had failed her. He had learned so much with Angel and knew he was doing more good now then he had as a watcher or in training. What he didn't know was had the entire system, in place for hundreds of years, failed her? Forgotten to take girls like Faith into account. Girls that needed more than just training and fighting. He couldn't keep them waiting all day with an answer so smiled weakly. _"I know how to find her."_

The man grinned and patted his shoulder. _"Thought you might."_

********************************************** 

Angel walked into the apartment with a bag of food. He stopped when he noticed she was up. Standing there with a knife. He'd have worried except, she wasn't holding it as she used to. No loving caress of a blade, no threatening posture. If anything she looked dazed, and unaware. Putting the bag on the table he walked over to her to take the knife away. _"Faith? Hey, how are you feeling?"_

She seemed to notice him then. Eyes slowly sliding up to his. Her face seeming younger than it ever had, even with the remnants of too much make up on. She tried for a smile that came out more like a sad smirk and shook her head. She was shaking all over. _"Like I should be dead. I, I can't do this. "_

_"Do what?"_ He knew exactly how she felt, finally letting the pain she'd caused settle into her and into her heart, the feeling of being unable to breathe because of the weight of your own sins. Still he kept his voice calm, conversational. There wasn't a reason to yell or push, he'd gotten through that barrier of understanding. Or it had just broken on it's own. Either way, Faith had faced up to what she'd done, and was now struggling with what to do about it. 

_"Live! What am I supposed to do Angel? Huh? March to Sunnydale and tell B I'm sorry? My bad! I killed a guy, attacked your friends, your mom? Damn it, Joyce was nice to me!"_

_"So, apologizing is out?"_ he asked simply. She was getting frustrated, and he grabbed the cup of coffee and handed it to her. Let her hold something, keep her hands busy. The warmth would help. He remembered the cold feeling. Not the usual lack of being alive, but a cold that hit your bones down to your soul. She took it and stared at it. Sitting in one of the kitchen chairs she brought her legs up, knees high like a small child and wrapped her hands around it. 

_Apologizing doesn't mean shit."_ she spit. 

_"That's where you're wrong. Apologizing means everything. As long as you mean it. As long as you don't stop there."_ She looked up at him, disbelief obvious, but he could see that flicker of hope. That there was hope for her. Angel took the seat opposite and looked at her. _"They may not want your apology. They may not believe it, they probably won't. But you'll know if you do. And you don't stop there. You make amends."_

_"How?"_ she asked, voice cracking as fear and hope both rode her hard. Her voice was so quiet, he felt a little lost himself. Was he really instructing a human, worse, a slayer in redemption? He wasn't always sure he was on the right path, or had hope of making amends, but he knew it was important to try. So he shrugged and gave her a reassuring smile. 

_"By fighting. For those that can't. We, aren't like other people Faith."_ he reminded her. 

She snorted and he blinked. With a wave of a hand she explained. _"Uh, yeah. You're a vampire first of all. And I'm descended from a long line of super girls. That's just the tip of the iceburg."_ She sighed, realizing, maybe more than she wanted to. He reached over and grabbed the nervous hand. 

_"Yeah, we are, so there's things we can do others can't. If you stop, and look, you'll see we aren't the only ones dealing with this stuff. Demons, vampires, they are destroying people who have no way of coping. No way of defending themselves."_ He stopped short of calling them innocents. 

She chewed at her lower lip, looked at him then back at their hands. _"So, what, instead of attacking people save them? It can't be that easy. It shouldn't be."_

Now it was his turn to snort. _"Who said it was easy? Besides, that's step two, don't forget that means first you, "_

_"Apologize."_ she admitted. He nodded and went back to his own mug of coffee. She sighed and stared at her coffee then as if making a decision, she took a sip. Angel relaxed slightly. It was a start. This wasn't easy, he could attest to that, but it was a start. 

**************************************************** 

Spike was pacing. His cellmate had woken up and before he could answer any of her questions, they came for her. Oh he was invited, but it was to help with 'working her over' and he was pretty sure he'd end up trying to beat on the guards and he wasn't sure why. He didn't want to protect her, he didn't think. Maybe he just really wanted to be the one to break her. So he declined. Now he was stuck in the cell just waiting, which he was just not good at. He wasn't a patient vampire, he could be, but he didn't like it. What it did was leave him to think. What the hell did it matter if they broke the seer? With a growl he searched his pockets for a smoke. Right now they could be trying to get her to give up information and the thought had him rolling his neck. He had been turned by Drusilla and had heard more than enough that she was Angelus' greatest work. He'd always hated that. He wondered what Dru would be like if she didn't have that dependence on the poof. Those few clear moments she had were important. He remembered each one, that was when she was his. He had no lighter and still he put the filter to his lips. Then the anger set in. Why him? Why Angel? As Angelus no one could touch him, he knew, he tried and was laughed at enough for it. No, never as bad ass as Angelus. Then in Sunnydale, even when he was helping, and he'd saved the lives of those damn Scoobies more than once, he was still looked down upon. Not respected and looked at in awe like Angel. He growled tossing his smoke away. Then Angel leaves behind the slayer to come here and set up shop. Get himself another set of groupies, including a seer! Why does he get a second chance? No, not this time. That was one thing he agreed with Lindsey on, Angel was getting his link to the powers cut. He'd had his chance, he'd had too many chances. It was Spike's turn now. It was on that smirk, that decision, that they brought her back and dumped her on the bed. The guard looked at him and tossed him a package, which he caught. 

_"Boss says to eat. That. Not the girl."_ They left, and he heard the door close as he looked down and opened the bag. A blood bag. With a snort he tossed it aside and looked at Cordelia. Shit, kid took one hell of a session. Not as bad at the watcher but there was some blood, there was just more tears. He sat on the edge of the bed and she scooted away. Draping an arm over her waist he frowned. 

_"Not gonna hurt ya pet. Seems, there's enough o' that."_ He pushed her hair from her face, her eyes were lighter than Drusilla's. Dru had eyes that could go black as void, Cordelia's were hazel, an intriguing mix of browns and greens with gold flecks that seemed to change easily with every emotion. So easily readable. _"Didn' give him up though did ya?"_ he muttered, realizing that she had to be protecting Angel and strong enough to do it. 

_"What do you care Spike?"_ She breathed. Obviously in pain she kept her eyes to the wall. 

He shrugged, but looked her over, assessing the damage. _"Didn' say I did. Stuck here though wit' you now aren't I?"_

She gave a small laugh and turned her head to look at him. _"Yeah, those manly choices of yours catching up with you huh?"_ She winced thinking what a bad idea to piss off the vampire she was stuck with while injured. She was surprised at the fact that he was smiling at her. 

_"Always do, luv. Come on now, let me see what we can do to clean you up."_ he added, moving to help her sit up. 

She still wasn't sure she could trust him, hell she was sure she couldn't, but he was already looking over her shoulder and face. Hands careful, more delicate than she thought they could be. So she relaxed a bit. 

*************************************************** 

Lindsey sat in his office watching. He watched as they spoke, as the vampire took care of her before even going near the blood. He waited until she was taken care of, then yelled at the guards that the girl needed real food. They shoved in a tray and he made her eat. While he turned his back to eat. Surprisingly, the seer had told him to sit with her. She didn't care that he drank blood from the bag, surprising the vampire as well. She even fell asleep against him on the bed, both sitting with backs to the wall. Spike had raised his arm and let her fall into his lap so she'd be comfortable and Lindsey smiled. _"This is going to work out just fine."_

******************************************************* 

Wesley should have stayed in the hospital, he knew that. He was also horribly aware that time was running out. At least if he wanted to make a decision. So he checked himself out and headed to the office. He had to find Angel before the squad did. He was also anxious to make sure that Cordelia and Angel were all right. The office was quiet, for the first time he had ever seen, there was no one manning the desk. He moved to the basement steps and Angel's apartment. Stopping as Angel took to the bottom of the stairs. Wesley was relieved but suddenly on guard again as Angel blocked him from descending and glanced to the side. _"Angel. We have to talk."_

_"Yeah I know Wes. Wes, why are you here, you should be in the hospital."_ He hadn't expected Wes but as soon as he had realized it was him, he knew he would have to explain what had happened with Faith before the two saw each other. 

_"Cordelia, she wasn't in the hospital when I left."_ he started. Angel lowered his eyes from Wesley's. 

_"No, I, didn't find her. Well I did but, Lindsey found her first."_ he wasn't sure if Wes remembered the men showing up and taking her as he'd been pretty out of it already. 

His voice got hard and Wes sucked in a breath. The vampire looked up at him questioning. Angel knew they had to find her, and he wanted to, things had just gotten complicated. 

_"She, had a vision. Angel, while we were there she saw Lindsey he. . . "_ He couldn't say it, because it couldn't be true. His hope had been that with it just being Faith and Spike, as bad as that was, the vision wouldn't come true. Then Angel showed up and he was sure that it was simply another vision thwarted. With Cordelia gone, there was a high chance Lindsey had her. 

Angel's hand tightened on the banister and he took a step up towards Wesley. _"Lindsey what? What did she see Wesley?"_

Wes raised his eyes to Angel's. _"She, saw her death. She said she dies alone."_ He wasn't sure the words were even audible but shouldn't have doubted Angel's ability to hear. Neither of them could react when interrupted by Faith. She stepped into view, and as much as anger colored his vision of her, Wes could still see a difference in how she stood. Small, lost, afraid. 

_"When he found out we uh, had her, he said not to 'damage' her. Said something about being able to use the link."_ Faith offered, swallowing hard as her arms wrapped around her body. 

Wes shook his head. _"We don't have time, Angel. There's another problem. The council, they sent the rogue squad."_

Faith, surprisingly, didn't react really. She just nodded and stepped forward. _"Wes, before they, come for me, I needed to, apologize. I, shouldn't, I mean, "_

Wes waved her off and started down the stairs, still blocked by Angel he looked at him then back to Faith. _"We don't have time."_ he reiterated. 

_"Wes! Let her apologize."_ Angel knew Wes might not believe it, or want to hear it, but he also knew this was a first step for Faith and important. The two men looked at each other and Angel lowered his voice. _"She needs to do this."_

Wesley kept moving and then with a look to Angel, moved his arm from the banister and walked up to Faith. _"I'd like to be able to say I forgive you, but that will take time. I know that, I am not entirely blameless and need to make my own apologies. For now though, I hope that we will have time for apologies, and forgiveness. Later."_ he added, hoping they could understand that they were running out of time. Faith looked up at him surprised and Wes looked back at Angel. _"They'll come looking for her, and they aren't thinking rehabilitation. We need to get her out of here."_ The sound of heavy footsteps and kicked in door above took all their attention. 

Angel was the first to speak. _"I think our time is up."_


End file.
